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No signal in my new filters

Antlia Luminance
7 replies•196 views
Linus avatar
Linus avatar
Hello,

I have recently bought a new set of filters. Antlia V-Series LRGB and 7nm HSO. I recently installed everything and had "first light" last night from my DIY remote observatory. When I remoted in to the PC and started imaging I noticed that the L filter was performing as expected but none of the other filters were. 

All my filters (except for maybe L, B and G) had basically no signal and very high ADU. 

The conditions in the observatory were the same as they always were and I have had no issues imaging with my old filter. Not a cloud or dew for miles and no moon.

Please tell me this is a simple fix and not defective filters, could I possibly have mounted them the wrong way around or is there a safety film I forgot to remove(but then again why would L be fine)?

All of the images are 180s taken during prime darkness without clouds or dew. I use a ASI294MM, Touptek EFW with the Antlia filters.

L:

R:

G:

B:

Ha:

Oiii:

Sii:
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Tobiasz avatar
Tobiasz avatar

Just a thought, maybe your Touptek AFW suffers from the IR light bug like many others. The filter wheel uses a IR light for positioning and sometimes it does not shut off and causes stray light. It would also make sense, that your filters of the red spectrum (R, HA, SII) suffer the most.

I would recommend updating your filter wheel firmware and ASCOM driver to the newest version and check again.

Regards

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Paul avatar
Paul avatar
This can happen on my 7nm ZWO filters when I accidentally leave the security camera night mode on, soon as I turn its night mode off (and so the IR light off) its all back to normal. So probably worth checking what Tobiasz says ^
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Linus avatar
Linus avatar
Tobiasz:
Just a thought, maybe your Touptek AFW suffers from the IR light bug like many others. The filter wheel uses a IR light for positioning and sometimes it does not shut off and causes stray light. It would also make sense, that your filters of the red spectrum (R, HA, SII) suffer the most.

I would recommend updating your filter wheel firmware and ASCOM driver to the newest version and check again.

Regards

Will try this, seems like a stupid design but who am I to tell.
Tony Gondola avatar
Tony Gondola avatar

It’s not a stupid design as you need the IR light inside the filter wheel to that it can know what position it’s in. There’s just an error in the driver that leaves the IR light on when the wheel isn’t in motion. I had the same issue with my Touptek wheel. It’s a simple fix if indeed that’s your problem. the think is, it doesn’t look like it is. My images showed a general light fog that was brighter on one side.

Observatório Astrográfico do Boqueirão avatar
Observatório Astrográfico do Boqueirão avatar
I have a feeling that you have unmounted filters by the looks of it, since you're talking about Antlia 7nm SHO, and they are installed in the wrong position. 
Can you check that? You don't have that problem with the L filter, because L can be imaged from both sides, is transparent.. but the reflective pink side, should face the telescope.
But check tha if you didn't already.

Regards,

Cesar
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Linus avatar
Linus avatar
Observatório Astrográfico do Boqueirão:
I have a feeling that you have unmounted filters by the looks of it, since you're talking about Antlia 7nm SHO, and they are installed in the wrong position. 
Can you check that? You don't have that problem with the L filter, because L can be imaged from both sides, is transparent.. but the reflective pink side, should face the telescope.
But check tha if you didn't already.

Regards,

Cesar

I paid fairly close attention to filter orientation when installing. Also the orientation of the filter only affects the anti reflective coating which would in turn only affect halos and reflections if I am not mistaken.
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Wrongly mounted filters